Tilt locking breechblock for automatic firearms



July 18, 1950 D. J. sAlvE 2,515,315

TILT LOCKING BREECHBLOCK FOR AUTOMATIC FIREARMS Filed July 18, 1947 5 Sheets-Shee'*I l '1 6 IY* E' 32a July 18, 1950 D. J. sAlvEv 2,515,315

l TILT LOCKING BREECHBLOCK FOR AUTOMATIC FIREARMS Filed July 18, 1947 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 TILT LocKiNG BREECHBLOCK FOR AUTOMATIC FIREARMS Filed July 18. 1,947

D. J. sAlvE July 18, 1950 sv sheets-sheet s l 'f l'l Patented July 18, 1950 TILT LOCKING `mzEonLoCK Fon ,AUTOMATIC FIREARMS Dieudonn. JosephSaive, Wandre, Belgium f Applcationgluly 18, 1947, Serial No. 761,794

' InBelgium December 13,1943 Y Section 1, PublicLaW (i90, August, 1946 Patent expires December .13, 1963 v4 claims. (c1. sa- 184) 'This invention relates to automatic firearms having` xed barrels and in which the breech block is -opened by ajslideacted 'upon by the explosion gases.

In firearms-of vthis type, the extraction of the empty Acartridgesis sometimes rendered difficult by the too sudden recoil of 'the breech block.

According to the presentinvention, there is provided in the breech block housing va rightang'led lever, the two arms of which `are unequal. The long arm is positioned'along'the slide and has its end in the shape of 7a cam coming into contact with 4a cam of the slide. The end 'of the other arm bears on `the front surface of the breech block.

In this way, from the beginning of the recoil, the slide acts on the breech block through the medium of the leverand the extractor exerts-a strong action slowly applied to the cartridge to be extracted.

In'a preferred form of the invention, a spring ispositioned between the breech block and the slide vand tends yconstantly to separate these two parts, kso that the breech block is forcibly locked when it reaches it forward position. f

Moreover, this spring is provided with a spur which extends into a lgroove in the iing pin and holds it until the breech block is closed.

The rear part of the slide is, moreover, configured to prevent the strikingy hammer from l striking the ring lpin as long as'the breech block is not locked. "Finally, the slide is provided, adjacent its'rear'end, with a cam, of Whichthe rounded surface comes successively into contact with an abutment having three surfaces, said abutment being integraljwith the movablebreech block. lBy bringing' this cam int'ocontact successively with the three surfaces of the abut ment, the breech block is jthrust 'forwardly placed in lockingfpositi'onand nally fixed in this position. A y I 11n order that the invention' ma'ygbe properly understood and be more `readilyl carried into effect, an example of an automatic lirearmfembodying the invention will nowbe described with reference to the-accompanying drawings lin which:

Fig. 1 is a longitudinal vertical section through the rearm showing'the breech block and the slide which unlocks and opens the'breechlblock and causes it to recoil. The upper part of the figure is a vsection taken on the plane I-LI in Figures 2, 3 and `5; lthele'ft hand lower part is an elevation `takeninthe direction F1 in Figure 2,

'the'breechblockbeing omitted; the righthand v lower partis 'a section-taken'on the planeIw-Ia in Figures 2, 3, 5 and 7.

"Figure'2 is 'a plan view of the slide.

Figure'3 is -anfend viewof-the slide taken -n the direction F3 in l-\i'gurej2.l 'f "f" Figure 4 is a crossesection through the receiver takenon the line IVLLIV'in- `Figure v1. Figure 5 is an end View of thebreech block;

Figure' is aside elevation ofthe breechfb'lo'ck. Figure 7 is a section taken Von the line VII-VII in Figure 6.

Figure 8 is a similar view as Figure 1 -but which 'the slide starts to move backwards.

Figure `9 is a similar view as Figure l in'which thebreech block is unlocked. Figurel is a similar view as Figure 1in which the lbreech block is opened. Figure 11 is a partial sectional viewl 'showing the cooperating rear parts of the slide andthe 'breech' block respectively in the positions `they fassume during the `return movement of the breech'block, when the return v'movementstarts. Figure 12 is asimilar viewas Figure 11 but :at the instant at Whichthe breech blockreaches the locking position. i i 'Figure 1'3 is'asimilar view as'Figure I12'but when the breech block is locked. Figure 14A isa longitudinal central sectional view'showing the parts and particularly the slide `-and the breech blockin the positions theyfassume fat rthe 'end' kof recoil.

' When theexposion occurs, the gases act on a Episton `I which urges the slide 2 backwards against the resistance of a spring 1, the endrof 'which'lies within .the'hollow 'part-fof the slide.

'Therrst function of the slide is to unlock the bre'echblock'3. This itedoes through the vramp =2a which presses' againsta lug 3a onthe breech blo'ck'and'liftsthe rear Aend ofthe breech block as shown in Figures? 8' 'and 9 :so that 4the locking member f3b` rises clear of the lockingmember vv'da of the receiver and so that the lower face vIlcvof 'they facedwof thefbreech block locking member "Ga (Figure 10)'. v

' "As shown in Figurer', the lug-13a on the breech block is'infcontactfwith theramp Zapf the slide. At that instant; that'ii-nner rear part .of thefsllde 'which maintained Ithevbreech block locked `is `withdrawn. n

`'f-"Ihe second function of the vslide is 'to cause the breech block to be openedzand the vempty cartridgecase to befextracted. These operations rvare"initiated by a lever 5 vpivotally=mountedon fthereceiver at-'5a. The longer arm ofthisalever is provided with a cam surfacebwhich :acted block is unlocked.:v r f y upon by a cam 2b on the slide when the latter has unlocked the breech block (Figures 9 and 10). The lever is consequently swung in the sense of the arrow Y (Fig. so that the end 5c of its shorter arm presses against a projection 3d on the front vend, of the .breech block, f' l According-to Figure 9 the breech block has reached its uppermost position and the unlocking of the latter is achieved. Thereafter the lever 5 operates and comes in contact rwith' ramp v2b of the slide. That way, the lever 5 causes back'- wards effort of the slide to be transmitted to breech block 3d by means of the shorter arm 5c of said lever.

The lever 5 increases the mechanical advantage of the mechanism, ensuring that the When the breech block is not locked (Figure 8), the rear end of the slide projects beyond the rear end of the firing pin thus preventing the striker from striking said firing pin.

What I claim is:

1. An automatic rearmcomprising a fixed barrel, a receiver fixed to said barrel,a slide and a breech block reciprocatingl in said receiver, a

striker, a firing pin, a safety spring located betweenand tending to separate said breech block curved face on said slide coacting with said lug on said breech block to move said breech block forwardly and to hold it in locked position, a

breech block is rst of all moved back slowly so I that it exerts a strong and slowly applied lforce for the extraction of the empty cartridge case. When the extraction has been thus initiated, the projection 2c-on thel slide abuts against a .projection 2e on the breech block(Flgure10) so that the breech blockis then moved back rapidlyinto ,the fully open 4positionwith andvby the slide.

In Figure 10, the extraction of the breech block and-of the empty cartridge case arey completed and projection lc vonl theislide moves the breech block 3 backwardly. f

The slide acts inthe same way, of course, when -the breech lblock is opened by hand by means of the lever 2e (Figure 3). l

Itwill be seen from Figure 4 that the lever 5 is mounted obliquely relatively to the receiver 4. I The recoil of the breech block 3 causesl the striker 33 pivotally mounted at 33a, (Figure 1) to swing back through a groove 4c in the receiver, so that said striker can resume its backwards position ready for striking, the firing lpin.l n

The'slide returns-to the closed position `under the actionr of its return spring 1 moving ythe .breech block with it. During the return move- 'ment (Figures 11-13), the curved face 2d (Figs. '11, 12, 13) of a part of the slide bears against the steeply sloping surface 3f on the lug 3a, of the vbreech block' (Figure 11) until the breech block reaches the locking position (Figure 13) When the locking position `is reached, the forward movement'of the breech block is arrested abruptly `by the abutment of the part Sifagainst a part xed to the barrel, therearportion of the 'breech block isfpushed down namely by a spring 32 larranged between the breech block and the 'slide and-is locked by the locking member- 4a.

Theslide continuingv to move forward and its Apart 2d riding' up the more gently sloping face 3g (Figure12) on the lug 3a of the breech block helps to force the breech blockl down. Finally, the part 2d on the slide comes on to the hori- .'zontal" face 3h (Figure 13) on the lug 3a so'that "the slide holds the vbreech block against being "unlocked WIn Figure 13 is shown the locking reliability area; the part 2d of slide, covering surface 3h 'of the breech block according to the backwards -movement of slide appears in relation'with the Islide po'sitions shown in Figures 1 and 8.

iThe'spring 32 also forms a safety device (Figure 14) for preventing ring when the breech block is unlocked. As shown in 'Figure' 14, the firing,

'pin 3| hasva groove 3Ia in it and the spring 32 'has al lug 32a on it which acts as a safety and, fby engaging in the groove 3Ia, holds the flring pin against forward movement when the breech lever pivotally mounted in said receiver so that one ofr its extremities comes in contact with said 'slide while the other extremity rests upon the fore face of said breech block, said slide having its back part in the path of said striker as long as said slide has not reached its forward position.V 2. An automatic firearm comprising a fixed barrel, a -receiverxed to said barrel, a slideand a breech block reciprocating in said receiver, a striker, a ring pin, a safety spring located be-y tween and tending/to vseparate said breech block and said slide,` af lug on said breech block, a curved facel on said slide-,coacting with said lug on said breech blockv tovv move said breech block forwardly and to hold itcinlocked position, a cam on' said slide, a4 lever pivotallyA mounted in said receiver and havingtwo unequal arms perpendicular to one another, the extremity of the longer'arm located -along a side wall of saidreceiver being in contact with4 said cam on said slide while the extremity of the other arm rests lupon the` fore face of said breech block, said slide having its back part in thev path of said striker as long as said slide has not reached its .forward position. a., 3. An automatic firearm comprising4 a .xed barrel, a receiver fixed to said barrel, a slideand a breech block reciprocating in said receiver, a striker, a firing pin, a safetyspring located fbetween and tending to separate. said breech block andsaid slide, a lugon said breech block, a curvedface on said slide coacting. withsaid lug yon said breech block toy move said breech block forwardly and( to vhold it in locked position, a cam on saidslide, a lever pivotally mountedin said receiver, said lever being inclined with` respect to said side wall of said receiver and` having two unequalarms perpendicular to one another, the extremity of the longerarm located along a sidewall of said; receiver being vin contact with said cam onsaid slide while the extremity of' the other arm rests upongthe fore face of said breech block, said slide having its yback part inthe path ofsaid striker as `long las' said slide ,has `not reached it forward position. y A

4An automaticV firearm comprising'I a..xed barrel, a receiver fixed to said barrel, a slide and a breech block reciprocating in said receiver, a striker; a ilringpin, said ilring.v pin having a groove therein, a safety spring locatedfbetween and tending toyseparate said breech blockv and .said slide, a hook on1said spring engaging. with said groove in said firing pin as long as said ,breech block is notlocked,,a lugrnonsaid'breech block, a curved. face on said slidel .coacting with said'lug on said breechA block to move said breech block forwardlyy andl to hold it in locked position, :a cam on saidslide, a lever pivotally mountedin said receiver, saidlever being inclined with respect to said side wall of said receiver and having ,.-two unequalarmsperpendicularto one another,

the extremity of the longer arm located along a side wall of said receiver being in contact with said cam on said slide while the extremity of the other arm rests upon the fore face of said breech block, said slide having its back part in the path of said striker as long as said slide has not reached its forward position;

DIEUDONNE JOSEPH SAIVE.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Number 10 184,336 60,954

Name Date Beets Aug. 16, 1921 Darne Oct. 1, 1929 Gebauer et al Dec. 25, 1934 Holek Dec. 23, 1941 FOREIGN PATENTS Country Date Switzerland Aug. 1, 1936 Denmark May 24, 1943 

